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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25203748">wonderwall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phisherqueen/pseuds/phisherqueen'>phisherqueen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Human Is - Fandom, Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Divergence, F/M, Marriage, Sci-Fi, unfinished work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:41:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25203748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phisherqueen/pseuds/phisherqueen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Herricks remain free but there are unforeseen repercussions to their hard-won freedom.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Vera Herrick/Silas Herrick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>wonderwall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is an unfinished story for Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams episode “Human Is”—not sure anyone will be interested but I’m posting here for posterity anyway. So if anyone is reading this, thanks for dropping by!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>today is gonna be the day they’re gonna throw it back to you</strong>
  </p>
</div>The aftermath was pretty much what Vera Herrick expected.<p>She wasn’t demoted from her position and her husband’s rank within the state remained and the powers granted along with it were reinstated. If they received looks now and then, that was alright and they handled it with dignity and cool professionalism. Thankfully, there were no confrontations as she feared after the council cleared Silas Herrick of all charges. If there were people who doubted the outcome of the trial, they didn’t say it to their faces and that was more than welcome. </p><p>There were some significant changes though, other than Silas’ approach to his work and his treatment of her. Ever since the trial, Vera doesn’t talk to Yaro as much anymore—not because she was upset with her but rather, she honestly did not know how to approach her. She’d seen the disappointment on the younger woman’s face that day and it had been hard to forget. She had disappointed and possibly hurt Yaro and there had been tension between them ever since. </p><p>Now and then though, Vera would feel her eyes follow her around the room when she thinks she won’t notice. Vera holds no grudges against her friend—she had a duty to fulfill and she did so. Vera could truly understand that and if one day Yaro found it in herself to get past all of it and decide she would like to rekindle their once strong friendship then Vera would be happy to accept.</p><p>Yaro wasn’t the only one too—even General Olin had changed in terms of his interactions with her. He’d always kept Silas in high esteem but never let him forget his position but he’d always treated Vera with a warm kindness. But ever since, he’d been wary of her, as if he could no longer recognize her and treated her with a cool detached professionalism. He showed her no disrespect and no animosity but it had all changed and, again, Vera accepted it. He kept her around though and still deferred to her on missions despite his obvious reluctance in the beginning after the trial but that was mostly because Vera and Silas made sure there would be no room for doubt when it comes to their dedication to the State.</p><p>Since the trial, the Herricks have run four missions together and successfully replenished the HYDRAN stores for Terran that, by estimate, left them secure for at least twenty-four months and possibly more. General Olin, despite his own reservations and disappointment with Vera in particular, couldn’t deny the results of the newly reforged working relationship between the couple. She knew they were being watched, closely observed by the State, and they have so far done well to give them no reason to doubt their devotion and loyalty to Terran.</p><p>They do not speak of what they knew, the deep truths they buried that day when the trial finally ended. But for that one moment they shared when they came to that understanding, none of it was ever mentioned again. Silas was home and he was determined to be a better man for Vera, be the kind of husband she always deserved. Vera moved back into the master bedroom.</p><p>If there were days like today where she ended up staying longer in the office than her usual work hours, she made sure to let him know now. Silas had discovered a love for cooking and dinner was now a wonderful way to end the day together. Since his trial, he’s been grounded and barred from leading missions. Officially, this was due to him being injured at Rexor IV but they both knew this was most likely due to the fact that there were still people who did not trust him and simply expected him to turn on them at any moment.</p><p>That was fine for Vera. She never liked watching him being sent off to places unknown, not knowing when or if he would return. Even back when Silas had been different, she hated to see him go. These days, he actually preferred keeping normal hours and being able to come home to his wife and seeing her first thing each morning. Vera reveled in this newfound happiness, feeling so incredibly blessed for all that has been bestowed upon her. She blossomed in her husband’s attentiveness and care, her eyes taking in a new kind of light that left her simply glowing.</p><p>“I was waylaid by a few strays,” Vera smiled into her comm as she exited her office, brushing her dark hair back from her shoulder absently. “But I am leaving now.”</p><p>Silas smiled back at her, “Just in time then. You’ll never believe what I found at the Maze today.”</p><p>“Treasure hunter,” she hummed, walking out of her office doors. “I can’t wait. I’ll be on the first transpo—oh, there it is.”</p><p>“Good,” he answered happily. “See you, love”</p><p>Even now, she still felt the flutter in her stomach every time Silas smiled like that and called her love or sweetheart or some other form of endearment. It seemed he had a lot of them and he reserved them all for her and isn’t at all shy about using them. Vera couldn’t help but smile, waving him off lovingly as she stepped into the transport that would lead her home.</p><p>She stepped into the platform, keeping her eyes on the ground to avoid being caught smiling stupidly at nothing. Even if she tried, she wouldn’t be able to wipe the foolish grin on her face anyway so she didn’t bother. Better mind her own, she decided, stepping aside to let someone else through from the next level when the transport stopped.</p><p>It was a quiet ride and she didn’t bother watching the indicator lights as the box moved through the floors. She barely noticed the other soul sharing the lift with her and she simply waited when it was her turn to disembark. She was happily in her own world, having let the days’ work melt away and allowed herself focus on her night ahead with her husband. There was so much to look forward to these days when it came time to clock out.</p><p>“You’re Vera Herrick, aren’t you?”</p><p>So caught up in her thoughts, she hadn’t realized she was not alone. Startled, Vera looked up, realizing that the other occupant was looking at her as he stood by the doors. He was tall, about half a foot taller than her with dark brown hair and pale skinned. He was dressed in a mid-level rank soldier’s uniform. She thought he looked familiar but couldn’t place him.</p><p>“Yes, I am,” she answered, meeting his gaze solidly. “And you are?”</p><p>“No one important,” he shrugged. “I just thought I recognized you.”</p><p>“Oh, well...” she swallowed lightly, her mouth suddenly going dry. She didn’t know him but something about him made the hair on her neck stand on end. She glanced at the lights, noting they were still far from her destination. “Is there anything I can do for you?”</p><p>The corner of his mouth curled up in a sneer, “You’re married to that Rexorian.”</p><p>“I’m sorry?” she stepped back, her breath hitching in her throat and her heart began to hammer against her chest. Her eyes darted to the indicator lights once more. Still not close enough.</p><p>He took measured steps towards her, forcing her to move back and further into the compartment. She braced herself against the wall but she kept her eyes on him, unwilling to let him intimidate her. </p><p>“Please step back,” she said, steeling herself and put a more commanding tone in her voice.</p><p>“You lost your right to order me around, you sanctimonious bitch,” he hissed at her, shoving his face so close to hers, she could feel his breath on her cheek.</p><p>Vera turned away and tried to get out of the corner he’d forced her into but he suddenly grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stay still. “Let go of me,” she ground out, gritting her teeth. “Leave me alone.”</p><p>“Oh, I’ll leave you alone, alright,” he smirked and suddenly yanked hard at her and threw her bodily against the wall. The suddenness of the attack caught her off guard and she couldn’t move fast enough to brace herself, landing sideways and her head bounced off the surface in a loud crack.</p><p>Vera put her hands up, trying to ward off her attacker but he simply grabbed her a fistful of her hair and landed a the blow to her temple, stunning her instantly and left her with her ears ringing. Before her mind could catch up to what was happening to her, he picked her up, slamming her back against the wall, knocking the wind right out of her. </p><p>The consecutive blow was enough to further incapacitate her and she was left weakened and dazed, her body dropping on the ground with a heavy thump. Unable to do anything but lie there as her mind tried to cope, Vera fought for every breath, trying hard not to make a sound as pain radiated all over her body. Her eyes heavy with her cheek throbbing where she landed on the ground, she could do nothing but watch as he moved to the panel where the controls were still lit up.</p><p>Keeping her eyes closed, Vera heard a loud whoosh then a familiar set of beeps. The lights turned dark in the compartment and the system confirming the change in route to the ground floor. She heard the all too familiar advisory and the deployment of the breathing apparatus. She opened her eyes just as the lights turned green then there were reds then finally blue.</p><p>“What—” Vera tried to speak but a boot hitting her right at the stomach cut her off and instead, all she could let out was a strangled scream. She lay struggling for breath, clawing weakly at the ground as she attempted to get away, her shoes slipping on the ground as it tried to find traction. But her attacker wasn’t about to let her go so easily, pressing his boot heavily into her lower back, pinning her to the ground. He kept his weight on her, making sure every little breath was hard won and Vera found herself wheezing, pushing her shoulders up as much as possible to get air into her lungs. </p><p>She managed to squeeze her arm under her body, her hand brushing against her comm as she tried to alleviate the pressure on her torso and give herself some space to breathe. She whispered her husband’s name, hoping it was loud enough to activate her comm. Blearily, her eyes looked around the compartment, seeing the lights and knowing exactly what they meant and where they were headed.</p><p>“No...” she choked out, “No...maze...no...please.”</p><p>“You lie every night with that piece of filth,” the man snarled at her, bending down and grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back, not caring one jot as she cried out in pain. “Good men fought and died for the air you breathe—air you don’t deserve to breathe. You are a traitor to your people.”</p><p>She watched him put on the breathing apparatus provided by the transport and made no move to provide one for her. Tears burned in her eyes as she understood immediately what he planned to do with her. He meant what he said, leaving her alone.</p><p>“Please...don’t.”</p><p>He was going to throw her away like trash in the Maze, leave her without any means to breathe and let her drown in the toxic air of the underground wasteland. It wasn’t going to be a quick death and it was going to be painful. She wouldn’t last long and Vera knew for certain she was going to die.</p><p>“Begging won’t help,” he said darkly. “You signed your death warrant the moment you chose to spread your legs for that metamorph.”</p><p>Vera couldn’t help the sob that escaped her lips, closing her eyes to escape the inevitable end she was facing. In what she knew would be her last moments of consciousness, she thought of Silas, of their last conversation through the comm and the breakfast they’d shared that morning. He’d bought her berry jam again that morning and some pieces of pastries and it had been so wonderful. Her heart constricted and it had nothing to do with the abuse that had been inflicted on her body. </p><p>Vera remembered whispering to him she loved him the night before. She loved him, she did, even if she didn’t know his name. She loved Silas—the Silas that came home. Vera hoped with everything she had Silas knew she loved him.</p><p>“Please...not maze...please,” she whispered desperately, tears blurring her vision. It was already getting harder and harder to breathe and they weren’t even there yet. He meant to kill her and he’d already begun but Vera was willing to beg if it meant living. “I-I don’t...please...”</p><p>“A life for a life,” he ground out, swinging her arm over his shoulder and pulled her body upright as the door finally began to open. “You will die for your Rexorian parasite.”</p><p>Vera held her breath, closing her eyes tightly as she felt him begin to drag her across the threshold and into her death. There was nothing she could do to survive this but she was going to do whatever she could to stave off the inevitable. Will they find her body? She feared not. Organs were still a high valued commodity and she was in perfect health. The shadows lurking in the darkest parts of the Maze would tear her to pieces and she was lucky if they would even bother to wait for her to expire. Fresh is best, she’d heard them say. It made her sick.</p><p>He dragged her with him a few paces, keeping her head low and away from the lone sentry who barely noted their arrival. He moved her to the side, just outside the transport bay, into a dark corner and stopped. He wasn’t willing to go any further. He counted on the Maze to do what it was supposed to do.</p><p>Vera felt him shove her off of him as if her lithe frame burned him and she fell, hitting the ground once more before she could brace herself. It knocked whatever precious little breath she had left out of her body and she rolled weakly, opening her eyes just in time to watch her killer rush back into the transport as the door closed.</p><p>“Silas...” she breathed, her lungs beginning to burn as the toxic air entered her system. She felt her eyes start to close, her eyelids get heavier with each shallow breath. The burning grew and her chest began to tighten, her heart constricting as her body started to react to the hostile environment and the lack of precious oxygen.</p><p>There were shadows around, moving through the maze and even as stunned as she was, Vera could hear them. No one noticed the crumpled form on the ground in the dark and there was no one to take note of the blue uniform that noted her rank and importance. No one heard the ragged gasps and the desperate wheezing and no one heard the beeping comm.</p><p>Vera Herrick lay battered and dying, tears falling onto the corroded ground and she was the only one who felt body begin to shut down. Her fingers stiffened and locked, her spine curled tightly, forcing her into a fetal position and her lips slowly changed into a cool bluish tint. Debris dug into the skin of her cheek as she writhed, her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat as she began to feel cold just while the whites of her eyes turned into a light sick shade of yellow. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears as her heart started to try and hammer its way out of her chest in an effort to survive, overworking itself to compensate for the loss of breathable air. </p><p>She started to cry which only made breathing in toxic air even more complicated but she found that she could not stop. “Silas...” her lips trembled as the poison continued to ravage her failing system. For the last few moments of her life, all she knew was pain and nothing else. </p><p>Vera was left all alone, waiting for the mercy of death.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>o0o</p>
</div>Silas Herrick was quite happy with his work.<p>He set the last of the utensils necessary on the table then placed the decanter next to their glasses. Today had been a good day to venture down into the Maze as some of the small clusters of people capable of growing the rarest things left to indulge in at the appropriate seasons had much to share for a good price. He remembered the small intimate dinner that had been prepared for their wedding some twelve years ago. There had been peaches then and Vera had been so delighted, her smile lit up the room when it was laid out in front of her.</p><p>It had been so long since he’d seen peaches and even longer since Vera had some.</p><p>Silas had been more than willing to pay the price the merchant was offering them for and he’d incorporated the fresh fruit into their dish. Glazed peaches with some protein and fresh peaches for dessert. He couldn’t wait to show them to Vera and hoped he would see the same joy light up her beautiful face as it had been on their wedding day.</p><p>There were many things Silas was willing to do but more than anything else, he wanted nothing more than to make Vera happy. She was beautiful, kind and precious and Silas found her to be quite the treasure. If there was anything he could do to ensure her happiness, he would do it. Vera had, quite so easily, become the center of Silas’ world and he didn’t want a day to go by without her knowing this. Just thinking about her was enough to make him smile and it warmed his heart.</p><p>Satisfied with the final touches he’d left on their dinner, Silas frowned slightly when he checked the time. Vera had been leaving for work when she communicated with him and according to the clock, she should have been there by now. If she’d been delayed, she would have informed him and Silas wondered what else could have delayed her if she’d been so close to getting on a transport.</p><p>Turning towards the kitchen to grab some water, Silas stopped when his comm started to beep. He smiled, answering quickly and expected Vera’s face to greet him.</p><p>“Hey, where—” Silas began, only to stop when he saw nothing but darkness. “Vera...?”</p><p>“No...maze...no...please...”</p><p>Silas frowned, “Vera? What’s wrong? Vera?”</p><p>“You lie every night with that piece of filth...” a cold voice came through the comm, above the sound of  Vera’s heavy breathing. There was a beat and then she cried out, obviously in pain. </p><p>Silas’ eyes widened and he ran of the kitchen, past the dining room and into the sitting area where their home communication device was. “Who’s there? Vera? Who is that? Talk to me!”</p><p>“Good men fought and died for the air you breathe—air you don’t deserve to breathe. You are a traitor to your people.”</p><p>“This is Colonel Silas Herrick for General Olin—this is a Level One emergency,” Silas barked into the comm and waited with bated breath as he was connected.</p><p>The general’s face came into view quickly, “Herrick? What—”</p><p>“Someone has Vera,” Silas breathed, pushing down the bile that threatened to claw its way out of his throat. “She’s on the comm right now. She’s-she’s...she was screaming. We need to locate her. Now.”</p><p>“I’ll have my men get on it,” General Olin answered gruffly. “Is she on the line? Can you communicate with her?”</p><p>“I can hear them but I can’t see anything,” he answered in a rush. “But I don’t think she can hear me. There’s a man with her. Just one, I think. She’s in pain.” </p><p>Silas covered his mouth, his heart hammering in his chest as the general barked out some commands to assist the Level One Director of Operations in distress. He strained to listen to anything else, hearing the scuffles in the broken audio. Her comm was getting damaged and Silas was terrified beyond measure. Why hadn’t he waited for her? They should have left the office together. </p><p>“Stay where you are,” General Olin returned. “I’m having her location tracked. Stay where you are, Herrick. Do you hear me?”</p><p>He shook his head, stepping back from the comm as he fought against the urge to kick at the table, “General, she is out there, I’m not going to sit here and—”</p><p>“Please...not Maze...please.”</p><p>Silas froze, his heart stopping for a moment as he realized what Vera had just said. He barely glanced at the comm, his vision growing dark and his heartbeat rushing in his ears, drowning out all sounds, including the barking commands from General Olin.</p><p>“He’s taking her to the Maze,” he bit out and bolted from the room. Silas ran down the hall and out the door, running full tilt at the transport and practically smashed the button to summon it to his floor. There was no other way to get there. The transports were all they had and Silas felt himself dying each moment he was left waiting.</p><p>Vera was alone and helpless, most likely hurt, and being dragged down into the Maze. He had to get to her, knowing that if they wanted to, they could make her disappear in that godforsaken place and there would be no hope finding her alive or dead. The Maze was appropriately named, mainly because unlike the higher floors the Herricks occupied, this place had no structure and was nothing but a disorganized mess of pandemonium, nooks and crannies and dark alleys and endless hopeless pits. Silas hoped to god she had a breathing apparatus because he knew her chances of survival would be little to none if she didn’t have any.</p><p>His heart broke and his soul cried out and he all but trashed the doors as he forced his way into the first little bit of opening on the transport. He used his Level One pass to override the entire compartment, thankful there was no one else in there and retooled the controls. His pass enabled the transport to move faster and straight down, practically free falling to the bottom and it quickly deployed two breathing apparatuses as per his command. He slipped one on and slipped one into his coat pocket and waited for the vehicle to land in the ground floor.</p><p>“Colonel Silas Herrick,” an anonymous yet commanding voice blared through the transport’s speakers. “As per General Olin’s instructions, you are commanded to stay where you are. Do not—I repeat—do not approach the Maze. Alpha One has been deployed. This is officially a state matter. The retrieval of Director Herrick is in progress. Do you copy?”</p><p>Barely hearing the directive being shouted at him, Silas’ eyes were glued to the indicator lights, counting down until the bottom. He didn’t give a damn about what they wanted, his mind going on a singular mission to get his wife back safely and take her home. They couldn’t override the transport and stop him and as far as Silas knew, he was ahead of the team being sent down. Vera was in danger and Silas was not prepared to lose her so soon.</p><p>“Come on,” he growled under his breath, watching the last of the lights die as he drew closer to the bottom. The alarms were going on now and it was loud all around him but he barely noticed.</p><p>The speakers crackled, “Colonel Herrick!” the voice was more insistent now. “Stay where you are. Do not exit the transport. Alpha One fast approaching.”</p><p>Silas ignored the voice, jumping out and into the Maze the moment the door depressurized and opened. He took out his torch light, the bright white beam leading his way in the murky yellow passage. The sentry to his right stayed in place even in the presence of a high ranking official. </p><p>“I am Level One Colonel Herrick,” Silas pressed his comm and produced an image of his wife. “Have you seen this woman?”</p><p>The sentry shook his head stiffly.</p><p>“I need you to help me locate this individual,” he grit out, frustrated by the obvious lack of concern. Damn robots. “This woman is a Level One Director of Operations for the State. Locate her. Do you understand, sentry?”</p><p>The machine nodded and moved, scanning the hallway and Silas moved his torch, lighting up the darkened corners out just to the side of the transport bay. There were people milling about but none of them reacted to the frantic uniformed soldier with the torch. As long as they were not accosted, they would not react.</p><p>“Vera!” he called, finding nothing but empty, filthy corners. He glanced at the sentry, watching as the robot continued to scan the crowds. Silas almost followed but then he spotted something on the ground just a few feet from him.</p><p>He moved forward, pushing himself to approach. Lit bright by his torch, Silas immediately spotted something metallic and pointed on the ground. He picked it up, realizing it was a comm device. Upon activation, he accessed the identification and immediately knew it was the one that belonged to Vera.</p><p>“No...Vera! Vera! Can you hear me?” he tried to scream as loud as possible, his voice muffled by the breathing apparatus. “Vera!”</p><p>Frantically moving the torch around, hoping he’d just missed her, Silas let the light guide him. Upon closer inspection, Silas noticed drag marks on the ground, as if someone had moved a sizable object from it’s place in that dark corner.</p><p>“Vera...” he muttered darkly, noting the drag marks immediately. They were new.</p><p>He tried to follow the marks on the ground but realized they disappeared after a few feet. Someone had been dragging something and eventually, it was picked up just before moving past the sentry. Or the tracks had been trampled by the crowds. Silas didn’t know what was worst but he was cold with absolute terror, realizing that Vera might have not moved on her own accord and someone still had her. </p><p>Silas felt his heart beating its way out of his throat and he tamped down the urge to throw up. The sentry was still scanning crowds and Silas found he had no choice but to follow. Behind him, the transport bay remained shut and Alpha One had still yet to arrive.</p><p>“You,” Silas said to the sentry. “Scan in the present and ten minutes prior for any sign of a being being dragged or carried through the crowd. One adult female.”</p><p>“Processing,” the sentry responded. “Five minutes and thirty-two seconds ago a being passed with substantial increased weight compared to prior passing, There were significant changes to size, appearance and dimension upon scan.”</p><p>“That’s it,” Silas nodded. “Which way did they go?”</p><p>He waited a beat until the robot responded, “Straight down then left beyond sight.”</p><p>Silas nodded and rushed off, moving down the hall and trying to find a passage leading left. He couldn’t find one and he almost went back to throttle the faulty piece of metal when he noticed a crack in the walls. Frowning, Silas approached, reaching out only to find out the wall was completely false and it was being concealed by a convincing hologram.</p><p>“Vera...” he muttered quietly.</p><p>In his singular mission to locate his wife, Silas gave no thought for his own safety as he barged right through the false wall. He nearly collided with someone who was exiting, snarling lightly under his breath as a short man with one eye covered by a metallic patch and scars on most of his face nudged past him carelessly, carrying a hefty transparent bag filled with deep red liquid.</p><p>Pushing past him, Silas moved forward, realizing he had stumbled into what had to be a hidden black market for organs and body parts. This did nothing to quell the panic that was already ravaging his soul. Vera being in a place like this was dangerous—these were the kinds of places that didn’t give a damn for a price and if she had been taken by a harvester then she was in more danger than Silas feared. They wouldn’t keep her alive if they meant to harvest her for parts and Silas was terrified that if she wasn’t dead yet, she would be soon.</p><p>Running down the crowded halls, Silas pushed past the bodies in his wake. There were small enclaves around and he looked into every one of them. There were bags hanging off hooks around, some as large as his head in different kinds of liquids. </p><p>“Vera!” he called out, moving into one room only to find it tinted in blue and green lights, a one-armed man sitting out a chair with two others working on the stump on his shoulder. They snarled at him to leave, motioning at him with scalpels. Silas backed out of the room, rushing down the next one down the hall, his breathing heavy and his heart in every desperate step he took.</p><p>Down near the end of the crowded hall, Silas caught sight of a commotion taking place. He strained to hear and see what was going on, but when he couldn’t, he decided to head straight for it. Silas ran, his breath coming out in puffs, his uniform soaked through with sweat. He pushed past the gathering crowds, shoving anyone who wouldn’t move until he was at the front of the crowd.</p><p>“Fresh meats, you scums!” a tall, lithe shabby looking man said loudly. “Fresh blood!”</p><p>Silas moved towards the door he was blocking, his instincts telling him he had found the place. He couldn’t help but dread what he would find, hearing what the man was advertising. His vision threatened to turn dark, but he pushed through only to be stopped by the shabby man.</p><p>“Wait your turn, scum,” he growled, shoving at Silas. “You’ll get your blood.”</p><p>“I’m a Level One Colonel for the State and you are pushing for a one way ticket out into the Wastes,” Silas snarled. “I’m trying to locate a female.”</p><p>“Got a few of those, Level One,” he answered, not at all bothered by being accosted by someone of such a high rank. “You’ll get your jollies. In a bag or in a box?”</p><p>“Alive,” Silas said darkly.</p><p>“Not the right place for you,” the man scoffed. “Only deal in parts.”</p><p>“I’m looking for this woman,” he showed him an image of Vera. </p><p>A flicker of recognition came across the shabby features but he shook it off immediately, “Like I said, just parts.”</p><p>“You better hope not just parts,” Silas grabbed the shabby man’s neck, shoving him up the wall, his eyes black and his grip unforgiving. “She is a Level One. You wanna know what happens to scum like you if you kill a head of State?” He shoved his face against his, their breathing apparatuses the only thing keeping them apart. “It won’t be the Wastes, trust me. You’ll live but you’ll wish you were dead.”</p><p>“Ea-sy...” the shabby man choked out, wheezing as his airway was cut off. “Th-th-there—” he motioned a shaking hand at the door behind him, his eyes bulging out of his head. “A-a-alive-fo-fo-for-n-n-n-oow.”</p><p>Silas loosened his grip, “If you lie to me—”</p><p>“W-w-was w-ear-ing a-a-a unif-f-f-form,” he wheezed, scratching at his collar. “B-b-bl-blue as d-d-d-death but a-a-a-ali-ve.” He gulped in air, crumpling against the wall. “Nee-need cl-clean syst-system f-f-f-for h-h-h-harvest.”</p><p>“Bad organs bad for business,” Silas muttered darkly. “Where?”</p><p>“Ba-baa-aack,” shabby croaked. “Ba-ack—!”</p><p>Giving no more heed to the crumpled man, Silas pushed through the doors. Inside was a mess of blood in bags and displays of body parts. There place was crowded, packed with people and beings trying to find their product and scurry off. At the end of the small room, Silas could see a marked door. </p><p>“Hey, who let you in?” a big burly man stood, a whole foot taller than Silas, barking at him as he guarded the door.</p><p>“This the back?”</p><p>“Yeah, what’s it to ya? Toad let you through?”</p><p>“Toad’s busy,” Silas snarled and proceeded to smash his foot into the burly man’s boot and a loud sickening crunch was hear even over the din. The man howled in pain, bending forward only to meet Silas’ knee on the way down with his chin, knocking him out instantly and his legs collapsing underneath his heft.</p><p>Stepping over the body, Silas shoved the doors open and immediately, he was met with a sight he never wanted to see again. The cold room was full and there were more than fresh meat in there as the walls were lined with bodies in bags all around, hanging like cattle, sealed but obviously dead, some swimming in blood. Their faces were covered, but they were obviously human. Silas didn’t want to know how they were procured. There were bags of blood and organs on shelves, stored and stacked.</p><p>Moving past the bodies, Silas muddled through, steadfastly ignoring the miasma of death and destruction. Vera was being kept alive but only for as long as they deemed her worthy for harvest. He ignored the sick pit in his stomach, searching the cold room for where they most likely put her. They’d have her in a bacta tank, he assumed. It would be the quickest way to clean her system and it would have to be similar to the ones they use in their sick bay for severely wounded soldiers. Silas had never been in one but he had seen enough of his men in those tanks.</p><p>In the silence of the cold room, Silas didn’t miss the sound of footsteps and he stilled, bracing himself for an attack. He hadn’t heard the burly man come in. Someone was already inside. He looked around carefully, hearing more scurrying. </p><p>“Who’s there?” he called out. “Come out.”</p><p>There were hesitant steps and to his left, Silas spotted movement and he spun around, fists raised at the ready only to stop short. His eyebrows shot up and his mouth opened soundlessly.</p><p>Behind one shelf of bagged organs, a head of curly blonde hair peeked out until a pair of bright blue eyes were revealed. He was small and though Silas didn’t know much about children, he could at least tell this one was fairly young. He was crouched low, wary eyes watching him. Silas lowered his arms, relaxing his body. What was a child doing in a room full of death?</p><p>Silas cleared his throat, wondering what he could say to something so small. Not finding anything in his head, he simply tilted his head and said in a low tone, “...hello.”</p><p>Those bright blue eyes widened and he eased out slowly until his pale white face was revealed. He was a small child with most of his face covered by the breathing aide, but he was dirty and covered in grime. He reached out one hand tipped in small childlike fingers in his direction and said in a small voice behind his much too large breathing apparatus, “...hello.”</p><p>Silas nodded, looking around, “I’m looking for a person...a lady.”</p><p>The boy thought for a moment, sucking in his already gaunt cheeks where the hastily taped apparatus was kept in place on his small face and nodded slowly, mimicking Silas’ action, “...Mama.”</p><p>“Uh, no,” Silas muttered. “My...wife. A female. Do you understand?”</p><p>The boy nodded once more, “Mama.” He pointed behind Silas, his curly hair bouncing slightly. “Ma...ma. Mama.”</p><p>Suppressing his impatience, Silas turned, seeing his was being directed near the back of the room. Well, if the boy had a mother then maybe he could get information out of her better. Children were harder to understand and Silas figured teaching Vera Rexorian would actually be easier. </p><p>“Mama,” the boy muttered, furrowing his brow as if he was impatient with Silas.</p><p>“Okay,” Silas mumbled, turning and moving to where he was being directed. Kids were bossy too. Nearing the back of the cold room, Silas expected to find a woman in all this depravity as the boy directed. He would question her parenting skills another time, keeping a child in a room full of dead bodies but he had his wife to prioritize. </p><p>But instead of encountering another living being, Silas caught sight of a hospital grade bacta tank immediately that was currently in use and storing a body mid-treatment. Breaking into a run, Silas rushed to the tank, leaning over the glass to see inside the tank.</p><p>She had been stripped of her uniform and left in her undergarments and even with the breathing mask covering most of her face, Silas recognized Vera immediately. He gasped, tears springing to his eyes as he placed his palm on the glass. He hadn’t realized his heart had stopped then as he took in lungfuls of air, his body shaking at the sight before him. There was relief washing over the fear, seeing her alive and still fighting to live.</p><p>“Vera, oh, god. Vera...love, I’m taking you home,” he said even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. He moved to the main controls, working first to disengage the tank and start the depressurizing for extraction. There were warnings informing him the treatment was not finished yet but Silas overrode the command. She needed a proper hospital.</p><p>Once the beeping noise confirmed the override, the tank unlocked and Silas waited for the depressurization to finish and allow him to retrieve his wife. Beside him, the boy suddenly appeared, carrying a pile of blue fabric that Silas recognized as her uniform.</p><p>“Mama,” the boy muttered, hugging the clothes to his tiny body. He was only a little higher than Silas’ knee. Nudging against him, he got on the tips of his toes, trying to see into the tank. “Mama.”</p><p>Silas was too overjoyed to react to the boy and his strange reaction to Vera, waiting impatiently for the seal to release. He took out the breathing apparatus out of his coat pocket and as soon as the sealed door was opened, he immediately replaced the mask on her face with the one he brought with him. He ignored the way his blood boiled at the sight of fresh bruising on one side of her face and the cuts on her temple and bottom lip. He couldn’t get angry now, not when he had to attend to his wife. He’d find his answers and retribution at the proper time. Silas swallowed the lump in his throat, carefully dislodging the small suction cups attached to her body tethering her to the tank, checking to make sure all of it was off of her.</p><p>Once he was sure she was free, Silas slipped off his coat, lifting her body to his and carefully bundled her in the dark fabric. It wasn’t enough to cover all of her but it covered enough of her to keep her modest and hopefully warm enough until he could take her to the sick bay for proper treatment. Slipping his arms under her back and knees, Silas carefully took her out of the bacta tank and cradled her body against him, making sure her head was resting properly on his shoulder.</p><p>Silas felt something tugging on his pantleg and he looked down, catching sight of those big blue eyes once more. The boy looked at him, his neck practically bent all the way back as he struggled to keep eye contact with the tall strange man. He was a filthy little thing but Silas couldn’t help but be eternally grateful for him. </p><p>“Thank you,” he said gruffly. </p><p>“Mama,” the boy said again, jostling the Vera’s bundle of clothes in his skinny arms. “Mama wake.”</p><p>“She’s...she’s not...” Silas struggled to find the words. “Where’s your mama?”</p><p>The boy pointed at Vera, “Mama!”</p><p>Silas swallowed, wondering if the boy was confused or something else entirely. How old was he? Surely by this age little boys would already be able to tell their own mothers from random females? It was strange but Silas couldn’t be sure. He’d never been around children.</p><p>There was a loud commotion outside the doors and there were loud crashes and some raised voices. Silas clutched Vera closer to his body, holding on to her tightly and he felt the boy latch on to his leg, his little arms going all the way around his knee. He wasn’t armed but if he had to fight his way out, he was prepared to. He kept his breathing steady, letting his body seep in the cold and prepared for whatever was going to barrel through the doors.</p><p>For a moment, there was silence and suddenly, there was a loud bang and Silas held his breath only to suddenly release it when he recognized members of Alpha One entering the doors. They had their weapons at the ready and they entered in a tight group, calling out for Vera.</p><p>“Right here,” Silas called out, not daring to move in case they mistake him for an unfriendly. He felt the boy clutch tighter to his leg.</p><p>“Colonel Herrick,” one of the men—he wasn’t sure who as their faces were covered in full gear—called out. “Do you have Director Herrick?”</p><p>“Yes,” Silas answered, easing his hold only slightly on Vera and began to move. “She needs to be in the hospital. She’s injured and in need of immediate treatment.”</p><p>The leader of Alpha One moved forward, “We’ve been directed to escort you back, colonel. On General Olin’s orders. A medical team is on standby for the director.”</p><p>“Good,” Silas said gruffly, looking down on his wife and noticing immediately the injuries on her face. He adjusted his hold on her, pressing his cheek on her uninjured temple. “Let’s move.”</p><p>Silas attempted to walk, only to realize the boy was still clutched to his leg. Vera’s clothes were at his feet, including her shoes. Where the boy got them, Silas only now wondered about. He looked at him for a moment and then at Vera.</p><p>One of the soldiers prompted him with a quiet, “Sir?”</p><p>“Are there still suspects out there?” Silas asked. “The ones running this place?”</p><p>“Yes, we still have one conscious and detained outside.”</p><p>“Please inquire about the boy. See who he belongs to.”</p><p>There were murmurs amongst the group as they communicated with their teammates outside and Silas waited patiently, the boy still clutched to him. The solider cleared his throat quietly and answered in a clear voice, “Sir, the suspect is asking what boy. Said they have no children in this room.”</p><p>Silas frowned then finally shook his head, looking down at the subject of their inquiry. Those big blue eyes peeked at him under the wild dirty curls. “You walk with me, do you understand? Stay close and do no run. You stay.”</p><p>“Stay Mama,” the boy muttered, bending down to pick up the clothes and shoes at his feet. It was a struggled to get everything in his small arms again, the shoes with the high thick heels fighting him but he managed to tame them, pressing them against his tiny body. He beamed up proudly at Silas.</p><p>“We’re going to the hospital, do you understand?”</p><p>The boy’s eyes darkened a little, “Sick.”</p><p>“Yes, sick,” Silas answered. “Stay close.”</p><p>Keeping his wife firmly in his hold and refusing the offered assistance from the soldiers assist him in carrying her, Silas moved swiftly and the team moved around him for cover. The boy stayed close as instructed, the patter of his little feet matching his as they moved. Outside the cold room, the crowds had dispersed—arrested or scattered, depending on their luck—and the burly man was on the ground, still out cold but his arms were already cuffed behind him. In the first set of doors to the hell Silas entered, the man called Toad was still pinned against the wall, his head being held in place by another soldier with a gun pointed at his head.</p><p>Silas stopped, “Who’s the boy?”</p><p>“Dunno what yer talking about,” Toad muttered, having recovered from Silas’ inquisition earlier. “No boy here. Not alive at least.”</p><p>Silas gave him a disgusted look and moved on, glancing beside him to make sure the boy was keeping up which he was with surprising ease. He still clutched Vera’s clothes against his tiny body, hugging them to him like a lifeline.</p><p>They group moved quickly and the previously crowded alleys of the Maze were cleared for their passage. If there were people looking or lingering, Silas didn’t notice. His focus was aimed straight for the transport bay that will take them to safety and as long as Vera was still here, in this godforsaken place, then Silas wasn’t ready to let his guard down. Once she was safe in a hospital or at home—preferably at home—then Silas would let himself breathe.</p><p>He clutched her body against his, his vision geared towards salvation.</p>
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